


The Power of Words

by merry_amelie



Series: Academic Arcadia [143]
Category: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Genre: Alternate Reality, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-06-13
Updated: 2009-06-13
Packaged: 2018-04-07 10:36:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4260099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merry_amelie/pseuds/merry_amelie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Overheard words go straight to Ian's heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Power of Words

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback: Is treasured at merryamelie@aol.com (or leave a comment).
> 
> Disclaimer: Mr. Lucas owns everything Star Wars. I'm not making any money.
> 
> For  
> My beta team: Nerowill, Emila-Wan, and Carol  
> Mali Wane for posting  
> My former betas: Alex, Ula, and Padawan Sue
> 
> To Mali

"I just can't imagine Quinn with anyone else."  
  
Ian almost dropped the pitcher of lemonade onto the tile floor, while Artoo yipped excitedly. He and Quinn were in the kitchen, preparing refreshments for their mothers, when Ginny's voice drifted in from the living room.  
  
Ian set down the pitcher carefully, turning to Quinn with a huge smile. "Did you hear that?"  
  
The ice cube tray clattered onto the counter as Quinn took his lad in his arms. "Yes, and I've never been prouder of Mom." He kissed the tip of Ian's nose. "Sounds like she's finally figured out what we knew all along."  
  
"Guess so," Ian marveled. "I just never thought I'd hear her say it." He nuzzled into Quinn's left sideburn.  
  
"Neither did I, laddie." Quinn gave him a quick kiss, conscious of their tenuous privacy.  
  
"Feels so good." Ian had two reasons to purr now.  
  
And Quinn heard both. "That it does, lad."  
  
Ian gave Quinn a squeeze before releasing him to get back to the lemonade. He loved these monthly get-togethers with their moms, and now he'd love them even more.  
  
When they walked into the living room, Sandy and Artoo on their heels, Ian couldn't help beaming at Ginny as he offered her the first drink and put the tray on the coffee table.  
  
Ginny grinned right back. "Thanks." She and Jo sat in the easy chairs, leaving the couch to the boys. "And thank you for the daffodils, Quinn," she said, Jo echoing her thanks.  
  
"You're welcome. Ian's helping me out with them this year." Though sitting right across from his mother, Quinn patted Ian's knee without a second thought.  
  
Ian smiled conspiratorily. "He's giving me quite an incentive this year, treating me to Milkshake Micah's."  
  
Having been there with the boys, Ginny could only agree. Their malteds were out of this world.  
  
When Quinn yawned, Ginny looked at him more closely. "Did you get enough sleep?"  
  
"Not really." Quinn stifled another yawn. "We stayed up most of the night computing the final grades."  
  
"You poor kids!" Ginny pressed Quinn's hand. "I'm so glad that Dad and I are well out of it now. Grading was always the worst part of teaching for me."  
  
Quinn nodded. "Well, we've mostly finished up, Mom. Just a bit more checking tonight, and we'll be ready to submit them by noon on Monday." Sandy came by the couch to be petted.  
  
"That's a relief." Ginny sighed. "But you should've told us. No need to get together today."  
  
Jo nodded. "There's always next weekend."  
  
Quinn shook his head. "Saturday's graduation, Sunday afternoon's the AIDS-Walk. And we have time to relax with you now."  
  
Ian grinned. "Some last-minute number-crunching on the old laptop, and we're good to go." He handed around a dish of spiced nuts. "The hardest part, as usual, was deciding on the cut-offs."  
  
Quinn groaned. "I had a total of 600 points to deal with, what with two midterms, the final, and their essays. It was tough to differentiate between the Bs and C+s this time."  
  
"That's a tricky cut-off. Wish we didn't use pluses in the scoring system." Ian sipped his lemonade. "I had trouble deciding the As and B+s."  
  
Ginny's smile when she sat back on the couch was knowing. "Same problems as twenty years ago."  
  
Jo said, "That's one reason I went in for library science instead of teaching. No grades to give out." She couldn't keep a satisfied grin off her face.  
  
Ginny laughed. "Too true. And I like your schedule also. Should've thought of that before declaring my major."  
  
"Somehow, I don't think you would've changed a thing, Mom." Quinn's voice was warm.  
  
"True, I was always fond of my students," Ginny said.  
  
Ian mused, "Too bad they have it almost as rough as we do. Most of them have to take four exams in one week."  
  
"Yes, it's hard on the kids, too." Jo sighed. "You wouldn't believe the amount of cramming going on this time of year, even in our Boonton library." Artoo cozied up to her, hoping to get his ears scratched.  
  
"Nothing like a deadline to spur kids on." Ginny took a handful of cashews and pecans.  
  
Ian's grin was wry. "They might feel better about it if they knew their professors were slaving away, too."  
  
Ginny said, "At least you have group finals now. So much better to have everyone working together."  
  
Ian brightened. "Yeah, we used to pull all-nighters the whole weekend before our rosters were due."  
  
Jo sighed. "I still remember your undergrad breaks. I'd find the light on in the kitchen at 4 am, and there you'd be at the table, with a mug of coffee and candy bar wrappers scattered among your books and papers."  
  
Quinn chuckled. "Now it's espresso and chocolate so dark, it's almost Baker's."  
  
Jo smiled. "Lucky he's got you for company these days." She held out her glass for Ginny to pour more lemonade.  
  
"I couldn't agree more," Ginny said, the pitcher securely in hand.


End file.
